Sectional container



April 17, 1951 E. ROBLES rA| 2,549,013

SECTIONAL CONTAINER Filed May 7, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1.7, 1951 E. ROBLES ETAL. 2,549,013

SECTIONAL CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Ma;T 7, 1948 Patented Apr. 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12,549,013 -sEorIoN-AL CONTAINER Enrique Robles and Michael J.' Sloyam Nogales, pplcrlfon Mayr, 1948, Serial N0. 25,728

(Cl. 22o-4.)

ifClaims. l

This invention relates to a container `especially adapted for use inthe 'transportation of `vegetables and fruit, particularly tomatoes, .but 'which is equally adaptable for use for the storage thereof.

A :primary object :of vthe present :invention is :to 'provide a container .having sides, ends, fa top and 'a bottom which are detachabl'y Vconnected together in interlocked engagement without the use o'f Ifastenirigs for latches and which :can be 'readily disassembled for transportation orstora'ge in a compact, kn'ockdown condition and whereby 4any one of the parts damaged may be readily replaced without requiring replacement of Ythe entire container.

:son anota-or .and important ritje-ct of' the in- Y vention is to provide afcontainer having integral :means to facilitate the stacking of v'a plurality 7oi? the containers :and which will prevent the sconkr.tainers zrom sliding in :any direction 'relatively to one .another when stacked.

Still :a further lobject of the invention is `to provide 'a novel `arrangement of vtinten-locking joints by means of which the sides, ends `andfbottom of the container will :be non-detachably connected vtogether when 'the .lid sis lapplied thereto fr vand whereby with the lid removed, `only 'one end 'wal-l fof the y"container is Anon-fd`etaohably interlockedwith the remainder of the container.

Still a further object -of the invention is to z'provide la Vcontainer wherein a positive Aforce will 4be required to be exerted in a particular direction for disconnecting the -initiallydetachable end wal-l of .the container when the lid is removed therefrom. v

Various :other objects and advantages `of 'the invention will .hereinafter :become more fully, apparent ronrtherollowing Adescription .of thedraw ings, illustrating fa presently preierred embodiment thereof, :and wherein:

Figure l is a'ltransverse sectional lview of the' fully assembled container taken Ysubsiantialiy along a plane as indicated by the line I-"I of AFigure 2';

vFigure "2 is a 'top Vplan view 'of the container with opposite corners thereof broken 'away lto illustrate details.; L

Figure 3 'is :afragmentary 'top view of one end ofthe container with 'the lid removed;

Figure 4 'is a side elevational view, partly vin section of the container with the Llid applied;

Figure 5 is a 'fragmentary end elevational 'view of 'the container;

'Figure '6 is a fragmentary perspective "view of the lid or cover;

Figure "7 is a 'perspective view of one .end Awall of the vcontainer, and

VFigure 8 is va similar view of one side wall.

Referring more specifically vto the drawings, the novel container in `its entirety and comprising the invention is designated general-ly Ii) and includes a bottom 1I, corresponding side 'walls Aft2 and I3, end 'walls I4 and I5 and a lid orcover IIS.

The corresponding side walls l2 and I 3 are veaeli provided with an inwardly extending bottom 'flange 'Il which is joined to the Yremainder of said side wall by an upstandingiiange I8 andan angular ange Tportion 'I9 'which combi-nes with the wilange I8 and the inwardly extending flange lI-'I to form an inwardly opening channel -or groove 2B. 'The Vbottom flange :Il at its inner, free edge vterminates in a depending iiange 2l the end por-tions `of which are disposed 'at la slight fangle, asbest seen in Figures l and 5 for a purpose which 'will hereinafter become apparent. The sidewalls I'2 and I3 at theirjupper edges are each Vprovided with an oblique portion 2'2 which projects vupwardly `and 'inwardly with respect thereto and which mer-ges with a bar 23 which is formed integral therewith and 'which is disposed ata right 'angle to the plane of said side wall. The outer edge portion or bar :23 and the contiguous portion -o'f the oblique part 22 combine to form an outwardlyopening notch 24 which extends 'fromend-l -lio-end of the-portions 22 and 23. The side walls 'I 2 and I3 are each provided at earch end with an oblique inwardly projecting extension y25 having an outturned lflange portion 2B which is disposed substantially at a right angle to the plane Vof said vside and which terminates .in an inwardly projecting flange 27 which, as best seen in Figure l'2, combines with the complementary portions 25 and 26 -to provide a notch '23, lThe portions 26 are disposed beyond Vvthe ends of the flange "ll and bar23, Vfor a purpose which :will hereinafter "become apparent. 1

Referring to Figure 7, the end `wall "I4 is ,pro-A vided with end flanges 29 each of which is ldisposed l'at substantially a right 'angle 'to the said end wall and each of` which is provided with an inturned :Harige "forming a tongue 30 which pro-y jects toward said end wall vand is disposed su'b-i 'stantia'lly at an oblique langle thereto. vThe portions 29 and 3! terminate below the `Upper ,edge of the end wall i4 'and 'the ends thereof, above said 4portionsare each ,provided with a notch 3|. 'The :upper edge of the end 'wall 14 isoprovided W'the'. Ino'tch 32 extending t'o adjacent the ends 4t'hereo'f and which .combines with the .notches '3 I togform 'opstanding "heads 331 ofsubstantially the same.

shape in side elevation as are the bars 23 in cross section. Further, with the head 33 disposed in alignment with the bars 23, the notches 3l are adapted to align with the notches or grooves 24 of the side walls I2 and I3. The end wall I4 adjacent its lower edge and on its inner side is provided with two vertically spaced bars 34 which combine to form an inwardly opening channel 35 therebetween.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the tongue can be engaged with the Y notches 28 at corresponding ends of the walls I2 and I3 by sliding the end wall I4 upwardly with respect to said side walls to cause the tongue 30 to move upwardly through said notches 28 to a position so that the heads 3l will be in alignment with the bars 23. v

The bottom il constitutes a substantially lat plate which is adapted to be inserted between the plied and slid between the side walls I2 and S3 'Y toits fully applied position, the leading end thereof will engage in the channel or groove be,- tween` the bars 34 `and will thereby function to prevent the end wall I4 from being moved upwardly or downwardly with respect to the side Walls I2 and I3 so that, due to the interlocking engagement of the tongue 3D with the grooves 28, the bottom Il will function to retain the side walls and end wall I4 in connected relationship, as previously described.

The other end wall I5 differs from the end wall I4 only in that the bars 34 are omitted therefrom and in lieuthereof and as best seen'in Figure 4, the end wall I5 is provided at its bottom edge with an inwardly projecting ange 316 and thereabove and on its inner side-has an inwardly thickened portion t3'I which extends horizontally thereof and which is provided with inclined upper and lower surfaces. The end wall I5 is applied to and engaged with the opposite end of the side walls .I2 ,andv I3 inthe same manner as previously described with reference to the end wall I4 except that as it approaches a fully applied position the upperinclined surface of the internal enlargement 3'1V rides over the adjacent end of the bottom II to cause the end wall I5 to be swung outwardly sulciently to permit said end of the bottom to pass to beneath said portion 3'! and so that it will engage on the flange 3B. It will thus Abe readily apparent that the end wall I5 will be `non-detachably held in an applied position by the flange 35 \and its enlargement 31 so that a positive pressure will be required to 'force-the end wall I5 downwardly for disengagement thereof and to cause the wall to be swung outwardly suinciently to pass the bottom II at its enlargement N31. `I t will thus bereadily apparent that with the `second end wall I5 applied the entire container is assembled except for the lid IB and is capable of holding fruit or vegetables such as tomatoes,

The lid or cover I6 is provided with downwardly and inwardly turnedback tongue members 38 which extend from end-to-end of the side edges' thereof and which are adapted to engage in the channels or notches 38 and 3I of the side and .d5 and will afford a diuable and substantial con- "'f .4 open top of the container from either end thereof with the tongues 38 passing under the outer portion of the heads 33 and bars 23 and it will be readily apparent that the engagement of the tongue 38 with the heads 33 of the end walls I4 and I5 will positively prevent removal of either end wall while the lid or cover I6 is applied. The cover I6 is provided with downwardly offset portions 39 forming upwardly opening grooves 4I) which are adapted to pass'through the notched upper edges 32 of the end wall as said cover is slidably applied or removed. The grooves 40 are 4disposed and shaped to receive the depending flanges ZI of a superimposed container IIJ when said containers are stacked one above the other and due to the angular disposition the end portionsof Vthe Igrooves 40 and the ribs or flanges 2I`,fwhe n said ribs are in engagement with the grooves the superimposed boxes will be prevented from sliding either longitudinally or transversely `relatively to'onel `another and will be retained in correct superimposed relationship. The notches 32 of the end walls i4 and I5 being spacedfrom the cover I 6 will afford air Vents to the interior of the container IG .and if desired or necessary, vent openings 4I may be formed 'in the cover I5 and in the side or end walls or both. f

In view .of the detailed description of the construction Yand assembly of the container I0, a further. description thereof is considered unnecessary The container I6 may be formed of any suitable material such as pressed ber glass and it will be readily obvious that said containers can be disassembled for storage or shipment in a compact, knockdown bundle and may be readily reassembled `without the use of any fastenings or other securing-means. Likewise it will be apparent-that if any of the parts of the container IQ is damaged it may readily be replaced without requiring replacement of the entire container as is usually necessary in the case of damage to a part thereof.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention 'as hereinafter dened by the appended claims.

We claim as'our invention:

1. A container comprising corresponding side walls having bottom ledges provided with inwardly opening channel portions, a container bottom having side edge portions slidably fitting said channel portions, end walls abutting against the y'ends of said vcontainerbottoml interlocking means slidably interlocking the side edges of said lend walls to the ends of the side walls andV pre-v venting said side walls from being displaced away from one another, said side walls having upper .edges providedwith Alongituijlinally extending 4bar portions -disposed at an angleto theplane ofA said side walls, said end-Y walls vhaving tongue portions aligning withy the ends of said bar portions,z and a cover having-downwardly opening channel rportionsslidably `interli'lcki'ng with the bars ofthe side 'wallslai'id the tongues of 'said end walls.' K 2.LA`container comprising a pair of correspondiiig side walls having inwardly opening'longitudi; nal'ly, extending'.'channel portions atthe lower 'edges thereof, a Y -container .bottom Vhaving yside edges detachablyfitting inthe channel portions ofthe sidewalls, end walls abutting the ends of the container bottom nand the endsof the side 'endwallsvThe lid I6 isslidably applied to the ,75 Walls', interlockingmeans forming a'slidable inf`l terlocking t between the ends of the side walls and side edges of the end walls, said side walls having bar portions at their upper edges disposed at an angle to the planes thereof and extending longitudinally of the side walls, said end walls having tongue members disposed beyond the ends of the bar portions and in alignment therewith, yand a cover having downwardly opening channel portions slidably intertting with said bar portions and tongue members and overlying the upper edges of the side walls and end walls and preventing the side walls and end walls from sliding relatively to one another or relatively to the container bottom.

3. A container as in claim 1, said end walls having integral projections on their inner sides adjacent their bottom edges engaging above and beneath the ends of the container bottom for retaining said end walls in engagement with the side walls when the cover is disengaged from the tongue portions of the end walls.

ENRIQUE ROBLES. MICHAEL J. SLOYAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent: 

